NFC Rumors: Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, Seahawks

49ers

49ers TE George Kittle said the Seahawks tried to trade up for him in the 2017 draft before the 49ers took him.

“It was probably a minute before the Niners called me, my agent said, ‘Hey, the Seahawks are calling. They said they’re trading up to get you,'” Kittle said via Pro Football Talk. “And then, literally, I’m on the phone with him, my agent, and — he’s on my dad’s phone — and then I got a call from the Bay Area, and I was like, ‘I’m getting a call from the Bay.’ He was like, ‘Hang up on me and answer that.’’I was like, ‘Alright, sick.’

“The next thing I know, I’m talking to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, saying that they’re drafting me, and they’re excited to work with me. I was like, ‘I’m excited to be there. Let’s roll.'”

• According to the Athletic’s Jeff Howe, there is nothing happening between the 49ers and Patriots regarding QB Jimmy Garoppolo right now.
• Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline reports 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan is opening up to the idea of taking North Dakota State QB Trey Lance instead of Alabama QB Mac Jones at pick No. 3: “Over the last 24 hours, I’m told that Kyle Shanahan is coming off his staunch stance on Mac Jones – and it seems that the scouting department is at least bending his ear to listen to why Trey Lance should be the pick.” 
• Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio says a league source told him the NFL has been pressing the 49ers to keep their pick a mystery for as long as possible to help TV ratings, which the league is anticipating to fall after last year’s pandemic-driven bonanza. 
• The Athletic’s Matt Barrows says there are real reasons to believe the 49ers are content keeping Garoppolo. They see themselves as a playoff team and handing the reins to a rookie quarterback right away is a gamble. Trading Garoppolo would also leave them vulnerable to injury at the position again. 

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said studying film has been the “best guiding light” for scouting prospects in the draft.

“The tape is always the best guiding light. So you go back to their ’19 film and you use that as the most important reference. Then the character is all a big part of it,” McVay said, via ProFootballTalk. “Les [Snead] and his group do an outstanding job of vetting these players and really our coaches as well, it’s all part of it. But the most important thing that guides our decision-making is, first and foremost, the tape.”

McVay doesn’t feel that opting out of last season is a punishable offense and reiterated his focus on film study when evaluating players.

“You don’t punish a guy. This past year has certainly been, I think, one that is different in so many ways, but you don’t punish guys for that. You go back to the tape. You look at what they’ve previously done — and then there are some projections with guys that maybe have less tangible evidence on the tape and it all is a part of the evaluation process. But certainly nothing weighs more than when you’re evaluating them playing the game that we’re going to ask them to do.”

Seahawks

Seahawks HC Pete Carroll said despite the turbulent offseason between the team and QB Russell Wilson, the two sides are in a great place entering the season.

“Right now he is as jacked up as he has ever been,” Carroll said, via 950 AM KJR. “He’s in the process of turning over a new offense, stuff that is different from the past and things that we’ll need to learn. He is totally after it, doing a great job. His mentality is strong and his conditioning is right. He’s doing a great job.

“Things were said. Things were said and sometimes you have to deal with stuff and that’s how we take care of our business. We’re in a fantastic place right now and really excited about this team.”

• According to Ed Werder, the Seahawks’ addition of DT Robert Nkemdiche was not related to DE Aldon Smith’s recent arrest. Nkemdiche “crushed” a recent workout and was working to secure another chance in the league. 
• Carroll said he expects DE Darrell Taylor to play more this season after being limited last season due to an injury: “It looks like if everything just continues to progress that he’ll be full-go in any of the work that we go at. So that’s a big positive plus for us and we’re excited about it.” (Brady Henderson)